Two Pak warplanes intrude into Indian air space

Two Pakistani military reconnaissance aircraft on Monday crossed the Line of Control in the Chhamb sector in Jammu and Kashmir and one of them was 'hit' when Indian troops 'engaged' them, defence sources said in New Delhi.

"Two small fixed wing Pakistani army reconnaissance aircraft violated Indian air space in the Chhamb sector at 1415 hours (IST) and were engaged by our own ground troops and forced to return," army headquarters said.

One of the two planes, said to be air observation piston-engined aircraft Mushaq , was 'hit' and a search was launched to determine whether the aircraft had crashed within
Indian territory, the sources said.

'Mushaq' is a twin-seater low-flying air observation also used by Pakistan to direct artillery fire.

"A protest is being lodged with Pakistan for this air space violation," army headquartes said.

This is the first known Indian air space violation by a Pakistani military aircraft in over a year. Indian air force jets had shot down a Pakistani navy reconnaissance aircraft Atlantique in the Kutch sector of Gujarat shortly after the 1999 Kargil conflict. The entire 16-member crew was killed.

This is the first time since the ceasefire declaration that Pakistan military aircraft have intruded into Indian air space.